Calls and internet service will be restored in Zamfara

Calls and internet service will be restored in Zamfara following the government's suspension of the telecoms shutdown

Following the lifting of the state's telecommunications suspension by governor Bello Matawalle, calls and internet services will be restored in Zamfara State.

The announcement was made by the governor during the state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Gusau.

The Nigerian Communications Commission, according to Matawalle, has ordered that these services be fully restored on Monday (NCC).

With this announcement, the Zamfara state government joins the Kaduna state government in announcing the restoration of telecommunication services in the state, which was announced only a few days earlier.

"I'd like to share with you today that we've decided to lift the state's ban on telecommunications, as previously announced. God willing, we will be able to achieve this effect as early as next Monday."

Telecoms shutdown in Zamfara

Keep in mind that the National Communications Commission (NCC) shut down telecommunications networks in the state on September 4 in order to disrupt the flow of information between bandits, kidnappers, and their collaborators.

In contrast, a month later, on October 4, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disconnected and restored service in Gusau, the state capital, leaving 13 local government areas in the state without telecommunications services

It was with great joy and excitement that the three-month network suspension was finally lifted, with Matawalle praising the residents for their perseverance and patience.

Residents were also assured that his government would continue to take the necessary steps to keep the peace and protect their lives and property, as he did earlier.

According to the governor, banditry and kidnapping had been significantly reduced during the state's telecom shutdown period, prompting the state's decision to lift its ban on telecommunication services.

In addition, he stated that the governor made the decision in light of encouraging reports of successes achieved in the state as a result of the stringent measures implemented by the state.

Furthermore, he acknowledged that security forces were continuing their efforts to apprehend and flush out remaining bandits and their collaborators.

It was not just Zamfara that was affected; parts of Katsina and Sokoto states also had their telecom service suspended, as part of a broader effort to bring banditry under control in the northwestern states.

Kaduna state, like many other states, temporarily shut down telecom networks in some areas before lifting the ban a few days later.

Effects on economic activities 

According to initial plans, the suspension of telecommunications operations in Zamfara state would be in effect for two weeks before being extended to three months.

For the purpose of consolidating security and ensuring a complete crackdown on bandits in the state and surrounding towns, the administration decided to extend the prohibition indefinitely.

As reported by locals, the crisis has effectively brought the economy to a grinding halt, with food prices rising by well over 100 percent for the few items that were still available, and certain items becoming unaffordable.

The state's economy was already in trouble prior to the network's demise, and it continued to deteriorate within three months of the network's closure.

It was reported that residents were unable to use the bank's automated teller machines (ATMs) due to a lack of cash at the time.

Going forward

As a successful method of decapitating the state's bandits and criminals, Governor Metawalle praised the telecom shutdown. By the way, according to a survey conducted by SB Morgan Intelligence, 43 percent of residents in the state believe that the security situation has improved since the shutdown directive was issued on December 1.

The fight against bandits, on the other hand, continues in the northwest. The unsettling possibility exists that, once telecom services have been fully restored, the bandits' determination to carry on will be re-ignited. It is possible that more coordinated attacks will resume as a result of this.

It is therefore necessary to ask whether, in the event of such an event, the government would resort to a once-in-a-generation attempt to shut down telecom services. Is it possible that this strategy of shutting down has become entrenched in the fight against insecurity, despite the economic consequences that it has?